I've been an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I started selling cool rocks even before I sold lemonade. At age 8, I hired my two friends to deliver newspapers and gave them 75 cents a day, and I kept 25 cents. I've gone on to start much larger companies, divisions within companies, both within the US and outside, that have led to both success and failure. Venture backed, partnerships, bootstrapped, high growth, retail, commercial real estate, technology, energy, B2B, B2C, B20 - nobody is there to buy) and more. I’ve learned my greatest life and business lessons from my failures. I recently completed a book for Wiley & Sons, entitled The 7 Non Negotiables of Winning: Tying Soft Traits to Hard Results, which you can read about here: http://www.7nns.com. My current company, Fishbowl, is a culmination of everything I’ve learned over my 30-plus business years.

Brave Leaders Inspire Greatness In Others

In our first segment of Lighthouse Learning, we featured Chad Hymas’ message regarding focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses. We believe it actually requires more courage to choose kindness over rudeness. Like anything else in life, to get really good at it, you have to practice. Over time you will develop a strong backbone that will help you stand strong when you need it most.

Some of us develop a strong backbone out of sheer necessity during times of intense trial. It is often during our life challenges that we stand alone and have no choice except to become courageous or lose all hope.

Our leadership team at Fishbowl wanted to find a better way to become a strong and confident organization and we wondered if it’s really necessary to get bruised and bloodied on the pathway to success. Let’s get real. Most of the jobs today in a high-tech industry require no warfare at all, yet we toss barbs back and forth like poison arrows like there’s no tomorrow.

Great leaders aren’t brave because they’re fearless, but because they take calculated risks.

We created Oceans Institute to explore new pathways of learning that help individuals move to higher ground within their careers in an inspired and uplifting way. We are working to write a new story of work; one that does not require a warlike mentality. Think about how much time and productivity we waste when we focus our energy on petty conflicts. We thought about the lost opportunity for growth and prosperity when companies tear each other down rather than simply building one another up.

We actually encourage our customers to review all options on the market today for inventory software and select those tools that best fit their organization’s needs. We offer educational and training opportunities (most of the offerings are free) in support of team leadership, QuickBooks and basic inventory management that help people, even if they wind up buying one of our competitors’ products. Why? There is sufficient revenue for all and, in the end, a happy customer brings prosperity to an organization and an unhappy customer drains the energy, time, and resources from an organization. Plus, we enjoy helping businesses organize and track their products and services. This is a backbone we felt good about building a company around.

One of the great things about working in inventory is that you quickly realize that the world shouldn’t have to suffer from a scarcity problem. There is plenty of everything, it’s just that the “inventory” is scattered everywhere. It’s in the organization and distribution where things often get out of whack.

They say like attracts like, and our team at Fishbowl was fortunate to meet one of the most courageous and optimistic entrepreneurial warriors of all time. His name is Jeff Sherman and he is the CEO of ShermanSpeaks. He is the complete opposite of a “Sherman Tank,” but when Sherman speaks, his words pack just as much power. Sherman didn’t build his backbone by going to war or vanquishing his enemies. He chose the path of seeking to understand, learn, and grow.

Below are his thoughts on courage and bravery. He is the second individual we have chosen to highlight as a Lighthouse in our Oceans Institute.

Jeff Sherman is a business leader who believes in a balance of kindness and courage.

Jeff Sherman Speaks on Bravery

Do you consider yourself to be brave? Rather than being devoid of fear, bravery is actually an act of courage in the face of fear. One who recognizes fear who then faces that fear courageously is most accurately associated with bravery.

I admire brave leaders. In troubled times they courageously choose to lead. Most often brave leaders arise victorious because of their ability to take action as opposed to being stifled by fear. I have discovered 14 common traits among brave leaders.

Brave leadership has little to do with status, position, title, or income. It is larger than any of those. Brave leaders are cultivated. They are all around us. They are not obscure, just unrecognized. You may find them in odd or mundane places. Brave leaders are not hiding, just busy getting things done. Too often, leadership searches select individuals with high bottom-line numbers. Indeed, leaders largely impact the bottom line, but do so indirectly. Leaders impact those who impact the bottom line. Therein is the difference. When provided true leadership, employees gain confidence in themselves and their fellow workers. They believe that they can accomplish the extraordinary. And typically they do.

We believe that the bravest and most courageous entrepreneurs work to develop kind hearts. It might not be cool to be kind, but in the big scheme of things it makes for a rich and enjoyable life. We are all on this earth for a short time. Our team chose to enjoy the rocks of life and not throw them at one another. That’s just how we flow in the Bowl. We look forward to your thoughts.

Additional reporting for this column provided by Mary Michelle Scott, President at Fishbowl. To read more on this topic: www.7nns.com.

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Number 5 on the brave leadership list is my absolute favorite. “Accept accountability for your mistakes.” I have found this one the hardest to work with if a team mate does this and also the hardest one to help correct in an individual. Those humble people who can do this are truly great leaders. Thanks for sharing Dave and Mary.

“There is plenty of everything, it’s just that the “inventory” is scattered everywhere. It’s in the organization and distribution where things often get out of whack.” Interesting thought that I think applies to many areas of life.

“Brave Leaders inspire greatness” – I agree – and am reminded of Bryan Byrge. Grateful for the inspired life that he lead. Grateful that he was a part of our Fishbowl family. Thanks for the article Dave.